


Human Again

by Lepidopteran (inarticulate)



Series: Human AU [1]
Category: Tales of Destiny
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-27
Updated: 2009-08-27
Packaged: 2017-10-02 11:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inarticulate/pseuds/Lepidopteran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What-if AU: Chaltier takes a step in a different direction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human Again

It took a long moment for him to remember that he needed to move. He moved with slow, careful deliberation; the memory was there, but it wasn't his. He staggered to his feet as Dymlos said something indistinct in a loud and grumpy tone outside.

It was strange, feeling the world like this. The walls of the pod were cool against his hand, and damp, and he left streaks where he trailed his hand through the condensation. He had done that. He had made that mark. He inhaled sharply and air rushed into his lungs, the first breath he'd ever taken in this new body. In Pierre's body.

The release button for the pod meant that cool air could rush in against his skin, damp enough that he felt himself shiver. The towel and clothes that had been set aside for him were neatly folded. It probably hadn't been the young master; maybe Philia? It didn't matter. He dried himself quickly, scraping the towel rough across his skin before dressing himself with only a few fumbles and misbuttons. He could feel his heart beating in his chest and a strange, dizzy sensation. It felt good.

Finally, he flung open the door and stepped out, smiling so hard that the new muscles in his face hurt. "Young master!" he cried. "I did it! Well," he corrected himself, "Reynolds did it, but--"

He almost bit down on his tongue at the expression on Leon's face. He could hear Dymlos saying something about regret and Atwight scolding him, but their words didn't penetrate. Leon's face was almost blank, except for a lost look in his eyes, like something had broken, and he was trembling all over. Chaltier did bite his tongue, then, by accident, and he stood there, frozen. He wanted to reverse it, to go back to being a sword, and the dizzy feeling had turned into something that tied his guts up in knots.

Then Leon opened his mouth and, in front of everyone, whispered a hoarse, "Chal?"

Dymlos and Atwight stopped talking. There was silence. Chaltier opened his mouth, stepping forward, then stepping forward again. Finally, he forced, "Young master," past his lips as he stopped right in front of Leon. He hesitated for a moment, then impulsively reached out and did what he'd wanted to do for years, ever since Leon was tiny and still so strong, with his muffled tears in the middle of the night.

He hugged the young master.

Leon was stiff against him at first before sagging like a puppet with his strings cut, his mouth pressing against Chal's shoulder. "Young master," Chaltier murmured into Leon's hair; it was as soft and silky as he'd always imagined it would be, and he could feel himself starting to tear up. He had to pull back and sniffle loudly.

"Hey, Leon, why did you let Chaltier hug you when you don't even like handshakes?"

Leon tensed angrily at Stahn's words and stumbled back to glare at him, his face charmingly red. "Shut up!"

The knot in Chaltier's gut loosened into that light, happy feeling. Joy, he thought it was. It was something he didn't really have any memory of, and he stood there, trying valiantly not to cry in front of the other-- in front of the Swordians and Leon's friends.

"No, Dymlos," he said when he could speak again. "I won't regret this."


End file.
